"So, you see, I came here with a request." Lyric confidently declared, tugging off her pristine white gloves with flair.
Smack!
She threw the gloves straight at Ramune's chest. "I challenge you, Dame Ramune!" she smirked, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
The knights in the room gasped collectively, their expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief. Even Ramune blinked in surprise, her brows furrowing slightly.
"For what purpose do you intend to fight me, Miss Lyric?" Ramune asked, her tone calm yet curious.
Lyric crossed her arms, her smirk growing wider. "No particular reason. I just want to see if you're as good as they say—or better than me."
Lionel stepped in, raising his hands to calm the brewing tension. "Don't you think this going a bit... fast?" he said, his voice laced with both disbelief and concern. "Challenging her of all people is—well, it's bizarre."
All eyes turned back to Ramune. Surely, the infamous bloodlust knight would reject such an absurd proposal-
"Sure, I'll accept your request," Ramune said nonchalantly.
The room froze. Gasps and murmurs erupted, the knights exchanging terrified glances. Lyric, on the other hand, beamed with excitement, practically glowing at her request being accepted.
---
Later at the training grounds...
The training ground was packed. Knights, servants, and even a few high-ranking officials had gathered to witness the spectacle.
Word had spread fast: some unknown visitor had the audacity to challenge Ramune, the bloodlust maniac, to a duel. It was the hottest topic in the castle.
Lyric was unbothered by the attention, casually removed her vest and untucked her shirt, leaving it loose and revealing her toned, muscular frame and the scars on her arms. She looked more than ready.
Ramune stood on the other side, watching Lyric carefully. Her gaze scanned Lyric's body as though analyzing her capabilities.
Noticing the scrutiny, Lyric laughed and joked, "If you keep looking at me like that, I might start blushing."
Ramune remained silent, her expression unchanging, which only made Lyric chuckle more. "Hey, aren't you going to take anything off? You look hot in that outfit," Lyric teased, clearly implying more than one meaning.
Ramune ignored her, unsheathing a wooden training sword. "Let's begin," she said coldly.
Lyric smirked, pulling out her own wooden sword. "Finally!"
The duel began, and the crowd erupted in cheers.
Lyric made the first move, charging forward and aiming a strike at Ramune. Calmly, Ramune deflected the blow, pushing Lyric back with ease.
To everyone's surprise, Lyric stumbled and nearly fell. The crowd gasped, exchanging worried looks. Even Ramune seemed taken aback.
She's.. bad.. Ramune thought, lowering her guard slightly.
Lyric attacked again, but the result was the same. Her technique was clumsy, and her movements lacked precision.
But then, as Ramune blocked another strike, Lyric's expression changed. Her eyes glinted with mischief, and a small flame flickered on her sword.
"Heh. Now this is the real show," Lyric said, smirking as her blade glowed faintly.
Ramune's eyes narrowed. "You..." she stated, her voice low and steady.
"You're magic user..aren't you?"
The crowd gasped. Even the king, who had arrived unnoticed, looked startled. Magic users were almost unheard of these days, a rarity seen only in the farthest corners of the land.
Lyric laugh as she lunged forward, her flaming blade slashing through the air.
Ramune dodged effortlessly, their duel now escalating into something far more intense. The crowd was in awe, unable to look away as Lyric's attacks grew more aggressive.
Eventually, Ramune found herself cornered, her back against a tall rock. Lyric grinned triumphantly, ready to deliver the final blow.
"This is it," Lyric declared, raising her sword. "Surrender, Dame Ramune!"
Just as the blade came down, Ramune blocked it with her wooden sword, shocking Lyric.
(well,it is rare for just a wooden sword to block an attack from things that involve magic- no,it's impossible!)
"What?! How are you still standing?" Lyric demanded, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Ramune's calm demeanor didn't waver. She dropped her sword to the ground. Her gaze lock to Lyric's.
Lyric felt a shiver run down her spine. Something about Ramune's gaze sent a wave of unease through her.
Before she could react, Ramune moved like a blur. In an instant, she was behind Lyric. With swift, precise movements, Ramune jumped, wrapped her legs around Lyric's neck from behind, and flipped her to the ground in a brutal takedown.
SMASH!
Lyric hit the ground hard, the impact leaving her half-conscious. Ramune stood over her, calm and composed, her clothes torn but her aura unshaken.
The training ground was silent. No one dared to move or speak as Ramune turned and walked away from Lyric's motionless body.
Then, as if on cue, the crowd erupted into cheers, their voices echoing through the air.
Ramune didn't look back, her expression unreadable as she disappeared into the castle.
---
Ramune sat at her usual desk, quietly working on a stack of reports. The flickering candlelight cast soft shadows across the room, and the faint hum of the knights training outside provided a comforting rhythm to her focus. The storm was coming, though—both outside and in.
Suddenly, the door to her office flew open with a BANG, slamming against the wall so hard that a few loose papers fluttered off the desk.
Standing in the doorway was Lyric, bruised, battered, and utterly disheveled. Her clothes were torn, even her hair a mess from their duel before, and her face... well, her face wasn't irritated like Ramune expected. No, it was something else entirely. Satisfaction?
Lyric stormed into the room, a wide grin splitting her face. "WELL DONE, DAME RAMUNE!" she declared with the enthusiasm of someone who'd just won a lottery, despite looking like she'd lost a fight with a bear. "You're officially better than me!"
Ramune, seated behind her desk, slowly turned her head to face Lyric, one eyebrow raised. "…Thank you." she said, her tone as flat as ever.
But Lyric wasn't done. "From today onward, you're my master!" she exclaimed, slamming a fist on the desk for emphasis.
There was a beat of silence.
"…What."
"...Huh?" Lyric blinked, as though she hadn't fully thought her words through.
Ramune leaned forward slightly, her expression unreadable but her tone clearly confused. "I said, what."
Lyric scratched the back of her head, her grin faltering for just a second. "You know... like a mentor! A guide! A teacher! Someone to help me become better!"
Another long, awkward silence stretched between them. Ramune leaned back in her chair, folding her arms as she stared at Lyric.
"...No," she finally said, returning to her reports as though the conversation had already ended.
"Wait, wait, wait! Hear me out!" Lyric quickly closed the distance to the desk, leaning over it dramatically. "Do you realize how rare it is for someone to beat me? Sure, I kinda… tripped a bit at first, but that doesn't count! You outclassed me in every way!"
"That's because you were acting terrible with a sword," Ramune deadpanned, flipping a page.
Lyric gasped, clutching her chest as though Ramune had just stabbed her. "How dare you! My acting technique is flawless!"
Ramune looked up, raising a brow. "Your technique involves flailing like a chicken that's just learned it has wings."
Lyric gawked at her, momentarily speechless. Then, much to Ramune's surprise, she burst out laughing. "Okay, okay, fair point. But that's why I need you, Dame Ramune! You're my ticket to greatness!"
Ramune sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I don't have time for this…"
"But think about it!" Lyric pressed. "With my natural charm and your... uh, terrifying skills, we'd be unstoppable! You could mold me into perfect!"
"I'm not interested."
"And maybe… we could put on a duel for entertainment and split the profits!" Lyric wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"…Still not interested."
"Okay, but what if I told you I'd do all the boring paperwork for you?"
Ramune paused, the pen in her hand hovering just above the paper. "…Keep talking."
Lyric's grin widened. "That's right! No more tedious reports, no more sleepless nights over mission details. Just think of me as your loyal, slightly annoying assistant-slash-apprentice!"
Ramune considered the offer for a moment before shaking her head. "You'd burn the reports. Or eat them."
"That happened one time," Lyric muttered under her breath.
The conversation was interrupted by Lionel peeking into the room. "Everything alright in here? I heard yelling—and also, are you alright,you just got beat up before.."
Lyric spun around dramatically, pointing at Ramune. "No need to worry my comrade,Lionel. I still have something to settle."
Lionel blinked, visibly concerned. "…Should I call the healers or the guards?"
"No need!" Lyric clarified, puffing out her chest. " I totally heal my own!"
Ramune leaned back in her chair, clearly unamused.
"Then,later!" Lionel wave as he left
Lyric turned back to Ramune with renewed determination. "So, what's the plan, Master? When's my first lesson?"
Ramune groaned, finally setting her pen down. "Fine. You can try to be my apprentice. But if you annoy me too much, I'm sending you to the archives to organize old scrolls."
Lyric beamed. "Deal! I'm great at organizing. In fact, I once—"
"I don't want to know."
And just like that, Lyric plopped herself into a chair opposite Ramune's desk, looking far too comfortable as she hummed to herself. Ramune sighed, already regretting her decision.